Tiger Prawn Treat

Travellers going south on the North-South Highway, and exiting the Pagoh toll to get to Batu Pahat would have probably wondered where that side road on the left after the bridge leads to. But a few luminaries, including the previous transport minister, Tan Kong Choi, had set foot on that little 'pekan' or small township, Panchor to savour its well-known (at least to some) freshly caught udang galah, or tiger prawns.

There is little in that sleepy hollow to excite the imagination, except for the river which flows by the town and is designated as a station to monitor the quality of water in the river as part of a government programme to clean up the rivers in Johor.

The shop, Han Thay seems to have a long history as evidenced by two photos of the founders. Other than the two photos, there are newspaper cuttings to impress visitors that the shop is pretty well known among food lovers, particularly Johoreans.

One of the dignitaries, the former Minister of Transport, seen with a group enjoying a lunch spread

The town and its river

The restaurant known for its udang galah

This is the best dish: steamed tiger prawns

This deep fried variety is palatable, but after the steamed version, this is disappointing

There are of course other dishes which it is famous for, for instance, the 'jiu he eng chai', but this can be found in any rojak stalls in small towns, the only difference being the restaurant uses peanut sauce instead of the more common sweet sauce used for 'chee cheong fun'.

If you are on the way back from the north and happen to exit the Pagoh toll, it is worthwhile to stop there to try out the food. After the bridge, you will see a straight road on the left. Follow the road until until you see a Chinese primary school; you won't miss it.

Dim Sum

This is a dim sum restaurant not to be missed. It is at Damansara Jaya. I will not attempt to identify the dim sum dishes because the variety is bewildering. Suffice to say that those who happen to be in Damansara Jaya should try it. It has two other outlets, one of which is at Damansara UPTown (I think).

Pantai Seafood

The family had originally intended to eat at a cheaper place adjacent to Pantai Seafood, but ended up at Pantai when the other restaurant was closed. Given the variety of seafood available (pricey too), it looked every bit a place popular with diners. One common thread we see in most Chinese restaurants is that the Nepalese have replaced locals as waiters.

Entrance to the restaurant

The family

Aquariums with a wide variety of seafood. Workers netting fish for the kuali

There are many more, but the pictures were badly taken and thus omitted from the post

Enjoying the spread. A Nepalese worker in the backgroud

Clams

Tiger prawns

Fish

Squids

Chinese broccoli

Shell fish

Wedding Lunch at Skudai

Last Saturday, I went to a wedding lunch at Restaurant Pekin Sutera Utama, Skudai. It seems that Johor Bahru folks nowadays prefer to hold their wedding receptions at Skudai, which is about 20 minutes' drive from JB town, to get away from the perennial traffic jams and parking problems.

Chinese weddings have become elaborate affairs for those who can afford them. There were more than a hundred tables, which meant more than a thousand guests were invited. It was supposed to start at 1.00 pm, but like all Chinese wedding receptions, it only got moving at about 2.15 pm. Of course guests who came with empty stomachs could make a beeline to the lobby where light refreshments were served, if baked oysters, one of the items served, are considered light. They disappeared as fast as they appeared; only the empty shells littered the small tables.

The lobby of Restaurant Pekin Sutera Utama at Skudai

Posters of the newly weds adorned the lobby and the dining hall

No expense was spared to celebrate the union

Slide shows of the newly weds in their various poses in a studio were presented

The main table

A large poster of the newly weds forms the backdrop

The live band

An arch along the aisle

The bride smiling radiantly

It is a custom now to provide gifts of sweets or cakes to guests

Friends from Muar

Friends from Batu Pahat

The menu

The cold dish

I don't know what this is, but it is delicious

Now, this is special; it's called Hakka seafood pot. The first layer comprises prawns, broccoli topped with shark fin. The second layer contains braised sea cucumber, belly pork and duck legs. The third layer has dried oysters, and Chinese cabbage, dried scallops and black mushrooms

The Hakka seafood plate

Hongkong style steamed fish

Deep fried chicken with prawn crackers

In case you are still hungry, you can have the steamed lotus leaf rice

Lastly the dessert of longans and sea coconut

Longans and sea coconut in syrup